An operator powered vehicle, especially a bicycle, includes three elements with which the operator may interact. These elements are the handle bars, the seat, and the pedals. Heretofore, bicycles have deployed these three elements so that the weight of the operator which may be used to propel the bike is distributed between the seat and the handle bars, such as in the bicycle shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,023. Bicycles of this design rely primarily on the muscle power provided by the operator's legs. Also, the pedals move with a rotary motion so that the weight of the operator is not always directed downwardly on the pedals and so that the pedal position shifts back and forth along the length of the bicycle with respect to the operator's center of gravity. Further bicycle refinement has included a lowering of the handle bars which encourages the rider to lean forward to reduce his air resistance while in motion, as illustrated by the drawings in U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,403. This configuration has the effect of further displacing the potential driving force of the operator's weight by shifting his center of gravity forward so that a part of his weight is placed over the front wheel and only a part of his weight is available to provide a downward force on the pedals. Often in such bicycles, the center of gravity of the operator is displaced outside of his body. An additional adverse consequence of the operator position on the vehicle in relation to the seat, the handle bars, and the pedals is that the operator often has vision difficulties because he can't see motorists, nor can they see him, and the operator is very uncomfortable while riding the bicycle. Because the frame is high off the ground, the operator finds it difficult to easily mount or dismount from the bicycle.
A suggested solution to the mount/dismount problem and to the weight distribution problem is found in a pedal powered scooter. However, prior art scooters, with their small pedal displacement, inefficient drive mechanisms and short wheel bases are generally unsuitable for anything more than short distance trips, at low speeds. As a result, such scooters are generally restricted for use as a toy. Additionally, the drive systems of prior art scooters have serious drawbacks. In some scooters, such as those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,053,835 and 2,062,830, the treadles have a rear pivot, thus potentially causing the scooter to catapult over the free end of the treadle, should the drive mechanism break. In other scooters, such as in that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,053,835, the drive cable is connected to the rear axle hub, in a manner which prevents the scooter from being moved in a backward direction. If such a scooter is pushed backwardly, or slides backwardly down a hill, drive mechanism or transmission damage may result.
Although bicycles or scooters which fold or disassemble are available, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,111,447 and 3,220,748, few of such vehicles may be disassembled quickly and easily to be transported conveniently in an urban environment. Also, such vehicles are bulky and awkward in their disassembled state, and they occupy a large amount of floor space, making them inconvenient for carrying on a mass transit vehicle.